


Tears to Bring the Morning In

by giraffewrites



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Fluff, Other, Parent Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giraffewrites/pseuds/giraffewrites
Summary: Tony never expected to be a father, but never does he regret it. And even though he passed away many years ago, Tony knows he can rely on what Jarvis taught him as a child to help his own boys out.
Relationships: Harley Keener & Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 49





	Tears to Bring the Morning In

**Author's Note:**

> SO WAS ANYONE GOING TO TELL ME THAT IN THE MCU PETER IS OLDER THAN HARLEY BY A YEAR OR SO?? I ALWAYS THOUGHT HARLEY HAD A GOOD COUPLE OF YEARS ON PETER... With this said, in this he's six years older than Peter.
> 
> Inspired by [this](https://mostlystuckony.tumblr.com/post/631650859306139648/this-is-mean-but) text post

Being a dad is not something that Tony had planned on. Hell, most of the things that happened to him were events that he didn’t plan on happening, but parenting was one that was especially hard. Whereas with the other things he at least had some knowledge of what to do, or a vague idea of which ath he needed to take. It wasn’t like that with parenthood, however. One minute he was having panic attacks in the snowy streets of Nashville, the next thing he knows he’s adopted the very kid who helped him. Was it wise, given his mental state? Probably not, and yet Tony doesn’t regret it at all. And just as he was learning how to be a good dad to Harley, along came another son; Peter.

Tony grew up a relatively lonely child, so cut him some slack when he says he never realised how different two kids could be. Sure they were seven years apart in age, sure he expected some differences, especially with their needs and all that (he read parenting books, okay?), but even their personalities were polar opposites.

Peter isn’t biologically his, either. He was the nephew of an ex-employee of Tony’s, a woman called May who had worked on his publicity team. They were never super close, and Tony honestly can’t remember ever agreeing to take on the legal responsibility of Peter should it come to it, and yet he told Pepper to only ring the lawyers to get the guardianship approved and nothing else. If anyone asked he’d claim that Harley had softened him with fatherhood. But the truth was that Tony has always been softer than people realised, and Tony lost his parents at seventeen. Peter was only five at the time, if Tony could step in and help him, why the hell shouldn’t he? It’s been four years since he adopted his boys, and since then he’s learnt just how difficult teenagers and almost pre-teens are. Harley’s earphones are rarely out and Peter seems to be joining a new club every week, which Tony thinks is great, but being woken up at the early morning of the hours because suddenly Peter remembers to practice his French Horn isn’t on the list of things that Tony enjoys.

Breakfast used to be full of smiles and laughter, with smiley face pancakes and freshly squeezed orange juice. Now it’s full of teenage rage and tear stained cheeks.

“But everyone else is going,” Harley argues, refusing to let it drop. “I’ll be a social outcast.”

“A social outcast,” Tony mutters to himself, shaking his head. Despite the fact he knows Harley won’t eat them, he puts a plate of pancakes in front of him. “You’re going to be a social outcast if you keep hanging out with those people you call friends.”

“They’re cool,” Harley insists, teeth gritting. “Not that you would know anything about that.”

Was Tony this much trouble? Hell, he was probably still this much trouble. “You can go til eight, and then I want you home.”

“It doesn’t even start til half six! It’s pointless!”

“Then don’t go,” Tony replies, pushing a plate of pancakes towards Peter, watching as he rubs his eyes. He removes the blue and white tea towel from his shoulder to wipe some apple juice from the countertop. “It’s a school night and I know you’ve got that test coming up. You need to study.”

Harley groans and stands up, slamming the chair under the kitchen island, making Peter jump. “Sorry,” he says, voice soft for the first time that morning.

“Are you not going to finish your pancakes?” Tony asks, despite already knowing the answer. He takes his usual seat between Peter’s chair and Harley’s.

Harley’s normal voice resumes, “Josh is picking me up. I’ll get something on the way there.”

Before Tony can say otherwise, Harley’s ruffled Peter’s hair and is already walking away.

“Eight o’clock!” He calls, only getting a raised hand in response. He sighs and turns back to Peter, seeing he’s on the verge of tears again. Tony moves the light brown strands of hair out of his eyes. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong yet?”

Even if Peter wanted to, he couldn’t. The moment his mouth opens he’s crying once again, small, tight fists pushed into his eyes. As soon as Tony picks him up, he clings to him with a grip so tight it could win records.

Tony hasn’t held Peter like this (save the sick days) since he was seven. Holding him close to his chest, Tony rubs his back, trying not to cry himself. Being a dad has made him much more sensitive than he cares to admit. “Whatever it is that’s upsetting you,” Tony says softly, “we can sort it out, okay? You just need to tell me.”

Unfortunately, this does nothing for Peter. The tears keep rolling and the sobs keep coming, a growing patch of wet appearing on Tony’s shirt. Not even when Tony stands up and starts moving does Peter lessen his grip or move his face away from him.

“I’m going to ring the school, and you’re going to have the day off,” Tony says, running the cold water.

“B-b-but I have a test and-” he hiccups, breathes becoming shorter and shorter, “and if I miss it then I-I’ll-”

“Peter,” Tony says, firmer but with softness laced around the edges, “you have to calm down, it’s only a test, they’ll let you make up for it.” He uses the pad of his thumb to wipe under Peter’s eyes, which proves pretty pointless given how fast his tears are falling. “We’re going to calm down,” he runs his hand over Peter’s hair, “have some breakfast, and watch a film. And then when you feel ready and comfortable, we’ll talk about what’s got you so upset, okay?”

Even though he’s still sobbing, the idea seems to soothe Peter. He manages a nod of his head before pushing his face into the crook of his father’s neck.

Tony silently thanks Jarvis for teaching him to cook as Peter finally digs into his food, pancakes forgotten, beans and toast now the star of the show. Tony hadn’t liked the meal much when he was a kid, he still didn’t understand how Brits classed it as a meal, but it served him great comfort when he was in MIT and missing Jarvis.

As soon as breakfast is finished, Tony cancels all of his meetings with a quick phone call to Pepper (who’d be annoyed if it wasn’t due to Peter). The two of them make a little den out of bed sheets and poles from the workshop over the living room couch and set up for the day. They’re half way through Lilo and Stitch when Peter starts talking.

“Dad…” His hands are twisted together, the pad of his thumb rubbing harshly against his palm. “I… I think I want to quit some of my clubs?”

“Yeah?” Tony asks, turning to face him with one leg crossed over the other, arm resting on the back of the couch. “Is that what you were upset about earlier?”

Peter nods, suddenly unable to look away from the couch cushions. “I don’t like marching band very much… and I like theatre because MJ is in it but…”

“You’re not enjoying it yourself?”

Peter shakes his head.

“You could’ve come to speak to me, you know,” Tony says, although his voice is anything but mad. “I know how many clubs you’re in, Pete. And not all of them are going to hold your interest, that’s okay.”

Peter finally looks up. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” Tony replies. “Clubs are meant to be fun, okay? If you’re not enjoying it then come to talk to me and we can sort it out. It’s no problem at all.”

Finally, Peter smiles. He jumps up and moves next to Tony, hugging him around the waist. “Thanks dad.”

“Any time.” Tony wraps his arms around Peter, cheek resting on top of his head. Parenthood might’ve been a surprise to Tony, but it’s the best one he’s ever got.

**Author's Note:**

> Tony and Harley have a good relationship, Harley is just full of teenage rebellion and angst
> 
> Find me on Twitter @giraffewrites


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